Keto Licorice Recipe (2024)

All I wanted to do was create a great keto licorice recipe… and I did!

I have been a fan of licorice and aniseed for as long as I can remember. Whether it was licorice, aniseed balls, or glass of ouzo the anise flavour is a big hit with me.

While I have given you a couple of variations within the recipe, please check the blog post below for some more ways to create unique licorice styles. PLUS, I have included some great tips and VIDEO to see and learn just a little more.

Keto Licorice Ingredients

While there is not a huge amount of ingredients in our keto licorice recipe there is indeed ingredients you will have to source at specialty food stores or online.

I do try and make most recipes accessible for everyone to make fro the supermarket, but this is a special recipe and does have ingredients not found in supermarkets.

You will need the following

Gelatin

– there are two types of gelatin and both can be used. Gelatine leaves are my preferred method. This recipe has not been tested with a vegan alternative such as agar agar.

Gelatin Leaves – When using gelatin leaves for a soft licorice you will need 170 bloom and use 20g. Gelatin leaves can be found in specialty food stores or cake suppliers. McKenzies Gelatine Leaves that can be found at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. The bloom strength of McKenzies is 220-250. I use a full packet of this for a firm licorice for licorice bullets, allsorts or Dutch salted licorice. It should be noted that using gelatin leaves gives you a much clearer licorice and blacker. That may sound weird but because powdered gelatin gives a murky appearance with water it also affects the end result of the colour as well.

Powdered Gelatin – I use Locako Pasture Raised Gelatin for soft eating licorice. 40g used in this recipe will give you a delicious soft licorice. When using powdered gelatin be sure to whisk and dissolve any lumps before adding remaining ingredients. Lumps will set hard, and the licorice will not be enjoyable. More gelatin can be added for a firmer licorice.

Sweeteners (and substitutes)

For a low carb sugar free licorice you do of course need low carb sweeteners. I prefer to use Sukrin:1 as my main sweetener. It is zero carb and has no bad aftertaste. You can however substitute any white granular sweetener. I just would not suggest any concentrated sweeteners as I have not tested how these caramelised in this recipe.

In this keto licorice recipe I have used the new gluten free, IMO free, Sukrin Gold Syrup as a molasses substitute in this recipe. I have tested without the syrup and added additional sweetener and it did not work. The licorice did not go firm.

Anise Extract – This is what you use to flavour the licorice. You can make your own by soaking fennel seeds in vodka for a few months but hey that is a long time to wait.

Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) – WPI is zero carb and higher protein than a concentrate. I have tested the recipe with 30g of coconut flour in place of the WPI and it set super firm. So that is a possible substitute but a lot firmer.

How to Make It

• Line a 30 x 30 cm baking tray with baking paper. See Note 9.
• Pour water into a medium-sized saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over surface of water or add gelatin leaves one at a time to the water, ensuring they are completely immersed in the water. Leave gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. You will notice the gelatin pucker up and all the liquid will go firm.
• Combine sweetener, syrup, salt and anise extract in a small bowl. Reserve.
• Place the saucepan onto low-medium heat and begin to melt the gelatin. Whisk until all gelatin is dissolved and completely lump-free. If you are using powdered gelatin and you cannot remove all the lumps run through a fine sieve. Lumpy gelatin will result in very hard lumps in your licorice.
• Add in sweetener mixture and whisk to combine.
• Over low-medium heat bring licorice to a low boil. Whisk through black colour, if using. Once the mixture has come to a low boil allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes.
• Whisk whey protein isolate into licorice and continue to heat for 1-2 minutes whisking continuously. Do not leave it or allow it to burn. Taste test before pouring and any extra anise or salt if you prefer more of a keto Dutch licorice recipe.
• Pour licorice into prepared tray. Work fast as licorice will begin to set. Spread mixture and tap tray to remove any bubbles and smooth the mixture. Place into the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes. Cut into strips or pop out of moulds.

How to make sugar free licorice in the Thermomix®

And the time of posting this keto licorice recipe I have not yet succeeded in making the same consistency with a Thermomix.

I believe with a few more days of testing I can achieve the right consistency it is just working out the right length of time to heat the licorice in the Thermomix.

Below is what I have tested so far. If you wish to make it this way it will still. create a very tasty mix although the texture (so far) is different. I will endeavour to update this once I have the perfect Thermomix Keto licorice recipe for you all.

THERMOMIX METHOD

• Line a 30 x 30 cm baking tray with baking paper. See Note 9.
• Pour water into the mixer bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over surface of water or add gelatin leaves one at a time to the water, ensuring they are completely immersed in the water. Leave gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
• Combine sweetener, syrup, salt and anise extract in a small bowl. Reserve
• Heat gelatin mixture 3 min/90°C/speed 1.
• Add in sweetener mixture and heat 6 min/100°C/speed 3.
• Add black food colour and whey protein isolate into licorice and cook 2 min/100°C/speed 3. Scrape sides of bowl (add any extra colour if needed) and cook for a further 2 min/100°C/speed 3.
• Pour licorice into prepared tray. Work fast as licorice will begin to set. Spread mixture and tap tray to remove any bubbles and smooth the mixture. Place into the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes. Cut into strips.

How to make sugar free licorice allsorts

Firstly, to make keto licorice allsorts you need to make a batch of the keto licorice recipe. Spread it out thinly into a large baking tray or spoon into a silicone bar mould (this is how I did mine).

Then for the candy layers this is what you will need

• 250g almond meal
• 250g powdered sweetener
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon of any 2 extracts flavouring of choice (banana, raspberry, pistachio for example) OR 1 -2 tbsp Locako Flavoured Collagen Creamers
• Food colourings (just a couple of drops go a long way)

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

Place almond meal, powdered sweetener, vanilla paste and egg whites into a food processor and pulse until mixture has come together. Remove two thirds of the mixture and add flavour and colour to remaining third and mix until evenly combined. Remove from food processor and transfer to a baking paper or cling film lined work surface.

Mix remaining batter with another colour (or colours) and flavour of choice and transfer to separate baking paper or cling film lined work surface.

Cut the prepared licorice slab into two even pieces or into 3 cm strips.

Cover the almond meal candy in clingfilm and roll out to 1-2mm thick. Roll to the mixture with only 1/3 of the dough to the same size as half of the licorice slab. Dampen the top of the licorice slab with a damp hand then place the candy on top. Cover with other half of the licorice.

With remaining candy almond mixture roll to twice the size of the licorice slab and place either side of the licorice slab. Cover with baking paper and leave out overnight to dry the candy. Cut into small pieces if preferred.

Alternatively make and shape both the licorice and almond candy in silicone bar moulds and press each layer together. Cover with baking paper and leave out overnight to dry the candy. Cut into small pieces if preferred.

A little bit of a rough description to do this but really this recipe is all about just making the licorice itself. I just winged this bit and free-formed what I wanted. I am sure you can come up with many ways to make your very own keto licorice allsort recipe and method.

Watch Me Make it

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